1. Technical Field
This present invention is directed to tournament scheduling and match result tracking devices and more particularly to a universal tournament management system capable of scheduling tournament matches.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Scoring devices are well known in the sporting arts. Both analog and digital scoring devices are available for games of skill such as golf, bowling, pool, horseshoes, and the like.
While such devices are capable of keeping track of individual scores or games they are not capable of managing tournaments. In order to manage a tournament at least the following information is necessary:
tournament type information: PA1 team/player information: PA1 match time and location information:
single or double elimination (with or without round scheduling); and PA2 chart size; PA2 team/player names; and PA2 number of teams/players; PA2 number of match sites; PA2 type of match sites (i.e., bowling lanes, dart boards, tennis courts, etc.); PA2 tournament start time; and PA2 average match length.
This information, collectively known as tournament information, must then be processed according to a set of reasonable tournament conventions. For example, once "team/player information" has been determined it is necessary to match the teams/players according to a fixed schema dependent on the number of teams/players. The next step is to determine the location and time of each match based on "match time and location information." Match location and time is also determined according to a reasonable tournament convention and is dependent on the type, number of available match sites, and average match length.
Both "team/player information" and "match time and location" information are dependent on "tournament information." For example, in a single elimination tournament matches will be scheduled differently from those in a double elimination tournament. Likewise, the number of initial matches scheduled (chart size) is seminal and all other information is scheduled around "tournament type information." Thus, a tournament management system may be universal in that it is adaptable to manage all types of tournaments or restricted to a particular size or type of tournament. If the system is universal it must be capable of selectively applying different match scheduling criteria in order to allocate teams/players in a reasonable tournament convention.
Known to the art of managing tournaments are various devices that receive data signals from a plurality of games of skill and that are then capable of determining the high score and announcing a winner among the collective players playing individually on the games of skill connected to the device. A device of this type is disclosed by Klayh, Canadian Patent No. 1 245 361. However, this device does not schedule tournaments--it only determines the winner (based on a high score) of a single widely played video game match.
Countless amateur and professional tournaments are played each year. These tournaments usually involve some type of athletic event (such as tennis, racquetball, softball, baseball, golf, bowling, racing, or the like) or a game of skill (such as darts, chess, pool, horseshoes, marksmanship, or the like). Tournaments of this type require a more complex schema since they are operated under a conventional single or double elimination protocol. A system capable of managing such tournaments has not been available until now.
3. Objects of the Invention
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an automatic tournament management system that is capable of scheduling conventional tournament matches.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic tournament management system that may be user selected and operated for any type of conventional tournament.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic universal tournament management system that is self-contained and operable independent of any electrical communication with any other devices operated by a team/player.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic universal tournament management system that is portable.
Another object of the present invention ms to provide an automatic universal tournament management system that may manage a plurality of tournaments simultaneously.
Another object of the present invention ms to provide an automatic universal tournament management system that may be readily adapted for use in conventional arcade type games.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic universal tournament management system that is capable of producing updatable tournament chart information.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic universal tournament management system which is capable of producing tournament match cards.
Another object of the present invention ms to provide an automatic universal tournament management system that is durable in use and economical to manufacture and use.
Another object of the present invention ms to provide an automatic universal tournament management system which is efficient in operation and refined in appearance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic universal tournament management system which is easy to install, simple to use, and trouble free.
Finally, another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic universal tournament management system that simplifies tournament management. These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.